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Oh, sorry, that was a mistake since i write '2D' and automatically compared it to '3D'. What i mean is: "i want to draw a SPHERICAL map and project it using any map projection method to 2D map'.

I want to make a new planet with its own measure and geography but with same spherical shape and similiar planetary system as earth, and i need to do geographical analysis such climates etc. Which one between CC3 ant FTpro suit me the best? Or are there programs better suit me?

Just heard about digital cartography moments ago and dont know a thing....

Neither one will do much analysis for you. Fractal Terrains works by creating a heightmap using fractal noise algorithms, then it lays in some "guestimate" climates and calculates where the rivers will likely be when generating an image of the world. It has some issues, though, such as always placing mountain ranges in the center of a landmass and being unable to account for terrain contributions to biomes. I don't recall whether it can reproject the world or not. There is, however, a freeware tool that can do that called Flex Projector.

CC3 is a CAD (Computer Aided Design) program customized for fantasy mapping. It can make fractalized lines to quickly create coastline and river features, numerous drawing tools for contours, and it comes with symbol collections for making stamp-based maps. If you look through the Profantasy website, you'll see lots of samples of images created with CC3, which should give you an idea of what it does. It does come with some measurement tools, but that's the extent of its analysis capabilities. It is mostly an image-creation tool.

For actual geographic analysis, you'll need a GIS (Geographic Information System). These take quite a bit of effort to learn, since they are very powerful professional tools. I think there is a free one available, but I don't recall what it is. Even so, a GIS is not a generator, only an analysis tool.

For creating weather, climate, etc, there isn't yet a tool we're aware of that can do it programatically, but there are resources to help you do it manually, such as the Climate Cookbook.

Fractal Terrains and the Campaign Cartographer are excellent tools, but you should be aware of what they do and do not do before purchasing.

@ AHawk -- we have those training wheels -- a whole boatload of tutorials. Like the original poster was advised - look around at examples of maps made with tool X ( tool CC3, tool FT) and see if you like the results. Then look up tuts that relate to the specific package you want. Some tools are close enough you can use a tutorial intended for a different one - with some creative bending and interpretation, some have applied Photoshop tuts to the Gimp, for instance. Won't be a perfect match, and some methods are tough
to translate.

At some point, you just have to buy the bicycle, and try it out! At least FT, CC3, Serif's PhotoPlus and DrawPlus, and some others are reasonably priced - won't kill most of us to try. If you see effects you "need" Photoshop for ... ehh, yeah, that's buying a whole car, so you want to be pretty sure it'll suit you. Really, from what users say, the Gimp can do about anything you would want PS to do, just in sometimes differing ways.... its price is certainly no barrier (free!), only the learning curve might give you pause. On the other hand, if you have use for some heavy-duty graphics capability for work or play or both, PhotoShop will sure take you everywhere you want to go - same large learning curve, of course.

Tell us what you want to do, and we'll help you find some training wheels and an appropriate bike!